Electromagnetic relay.



n. 1. GARRETSON & M. 0. ANTHONY.

ELEGTROMAGNETIO RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID IRWIN GARRE'ISON, OF NEW YORK, N. "51., AND MARCUS 0. ANTHONY, OF EN- GLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO GARRE'ISON-ANTI-IONY COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID IRWIN GAR- RETSON and MARCUS O. ANTHONY, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, and Englewood, Bergen county, State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Relays, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electrical instruments in general and comprises an improved form of-electromagnetic relay particularly adapted for use in electric telegraph systems.

The best form of apparatus embodying our invention at present known to us is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the relay which as shown is in cylindrical form. Fig. 2 is a detail cross section through the shell and one binding post on a plane at right angles to the axis of the cylinder on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a partial section on an enlarged scale on a plane passing through the axis of cylinder in Fig. 1 on line 3-3. Fig. #1 is a detail side view of the internal apparatus after removal. from the contain ing case or shell, parts being shown in sec-. tion. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 4 with parts broken away, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the skeleton base plate of the frame supporting the internal parts of the apparatus.

Throughout the drawings like reference figures indicate like parts.

1 is the shell, preferably made of metal and in cylindrical form. This is supported on feet or other projections 2, 2.

3 is a binding post at the right hand side of Fig. 1, and 4: another binding post at the left hand side.

5 is a circular cover or follower having a central opening and provided on its circumferential edges with a screw thread which meshes with the internal thread 15 on the shell or casing 1. This cover or follower is provided preferably with two depressions 6, 6, into which a spanner may be inserted to screw up the follower.

7 is a hub projecting through the opening Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 27, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909. semu No. 459,723.

in the follower 5 from the base plate 8 inside of the shell which base plate is preferably in skeleton form, as shown in Fig. 6, and provided withsections of a screw thread on the circumferential portions, which screw thread meshes with the thread 15 on the inside of the shell 1. In this hub which is centrally bored out and has a screw thread tapped in it, is mounted the micrometer screw 9, the outer thread of which is coarser than the inner thread. The cross plate 10 is mounted on this micrometer screw by means of the screw threaded projection 11 which extends up into the inner threaded portion of said micrometer screw 9. These parts are assembled in the usual way by first screwing the micrometer screw part way into the hub, placing the cross plate and projection 11 in position with the projection 11 extending through the hub 7 and then screwing the micrometer screw 9 on to the threaded projection 11 and further into the hub 7 at the same time. To prevent the micrometer screw being withdrawn far enough to free the part 11 after the parts have been inserted in the casing or shell, the keeper 12 is placed between the base plate and the cross plate and held in such position by'any convenient means such as a screw 13. Preferably this keeper 12 has a slotted portion which straddles the threaded projection 11 from the cross plate.

In practice we prefer to place a felt washer 1% between the parts 5 and 8 as the same forms a dust proof and practically air tight joint between the two.

The base plate 8 has a series of posts 16, 16, projecting outwardly from its extremities, and on these are guided a set of magnet coils 17 mounted on the adjustable cross plate 10 by means of spools -of ordinary insulating material having projecting flanges 18, 18, which engage the posts 16, 16, as by means of holes 19, 19, formed in the flanges, through which the posts may pass. These magnets have the usual soft iron cores with projecting pole pieces 20, 20, which extend inwardly into operative relation with the armature 21. This armature is flexiblymounted on the main frame and carries a movable contact piece 22, preferably tipped with platinum and located opposite a stationary contact piece 23, also tipped with platinum and supported by the post 24. This post 24 is adjustable toward and from the movable contact piece by reason of the fact that it is set in a perforation through the base plate 8 and held therein by set screw 25.

Preferably the flexible mounting for the armature 21 consists of a thin steel dia phragm 27 carrying a button 26 of non-magnetic material such as brass to which the armature 21 may be brazed or otherwise attached. This diaphragm, as shown, is supported at its outer edges by the posts 16, 16, from which it is insulated in any convenient manner as by the use of the fiber washers 28, 28.

Wires 29, 29, (Fig. 1) indicate the main circuit in which the coils of magnet 17 are included, and 80, 80, (Fig. 4) indicate diagrammatically the local circuit, one wire being connected to the diaphragm and through it to the movable contact 22, while the other is, as shown, connected to the main frame and through it to the stationary contact 28.

In practice the connection to the stationary contact 28 also includes in circuit the shell or casing 1 to which one wire of the local circuit is connected by a binding post, this shell of course being in contact at many points with the base plate 8 in whiclrthe post 24: is set. The preferred form of binding post for carrying the wires 29, 29, and one of the wires through the shell 1 without placing them in electric contact therewith, is shown in detail in Fig. 2, where 81 is a binding screw bolt, 82 the metal tip of a wire extending from the diaphragm and forming part of circuit 80, 80, while 88 is an insulating washer and 8 1 an insulating centering washer through both of which the binding screw bolt 81 passes. One of these washers is on the inside of the shell as shown and the other on the outside. The binding screw bolt also passes through the metal washer 85, and to the thumb nut 87 Between the thumb nut 87 and the metal washer is placed the end of one of the external wires of the circuit 80, 80.

On the left hand side of the casing, which is preferably made of brass, are two binding posts. One post is behind the other so that only one shows at at, in Fig. 1. One of these binding posts has the exact construction shown in Fig. 2 and carries one side of the local circuit 80 through the casing 0r shell 1 to the diaphragm 27 and consequently to the movable contact piece 22. The other binding post is the same except that the inner insulating washer 88 is removed, thus connecting the wire on that side of the local circuit 80 with the casing l, and consequently with the stationary contact piece 28.

On the right hand side there are similarly two binding posts, one behind the other so that only one shows at 8, in Fig. 1. Each post is like Fig. 2, and they carry the main circuit through the casing to the magnet 17.

In operation the parts are assembled as in dicated in F 4t. The stationary contact piece 28 is adjusted so as to leave a narrow space between it and the movable contact piece 22 when the magnet is dead. The magnet is then adjusted, by turning the micrometer screw, so that the best resultant action upon the armature 21 is obtained when the main line or circuit 29, 29, is opened and closed. The adjustment. is always such that the contact pieces 22, 28, will meet before the armature can touch the pole pieces 20 of the magnet, and so prevents the armature freezing to the magnet. The skeleton base plate carrying its apparatus is then screwed into the shell 1, and the magnet coils and the diaphragm wire are connected to their proper binding posts, access to which is afforded through the openings in the skeleton base plate. The follower 5 is then screwed in, washer 1 1 having been previously put in position if desired, and is set up hard to form a lock nut action against the base plate 8.

The result is a self contained relay in a dust-proof, practically air-tight casing or shell, the magnetic action of which relay can be given the most delicate adjustments without breaking the dust-proof, air-tight seal of the casing. All springs and wind ing screws are done away with, the gap between the contact points is fixed and all ad justments secured by simple movements of the magnet. Vhile the internal parts are 'apable of a wide range of adjustment, this adjustment is prevented from being carried to an extent which will disable the apparatus by intervention of the keeper 12.

The diaphragm maintains a permanent adjustment which is not affected by temperature or position or climatic conditions. We believe the non-magnetic piece of brass, or button 12, between the diaphragm and the armature serves to bring to a centralization the magnetic lines of force induced in the armature so that same pass off quickly in radial directions on the surface of the diaphragm, which results in a quick make and break action in the relay.

The inclosure of the magnetic apparatus in an air tight, non-magnetic casing renders the relay proof against variations in climatic and magnetic variations of the atmosphere. The sharpness of the make and break action is such that when once adjusted for a circuit of a given resistance our relay will work satisfactorily over circuits of hundreds of miles without requiring further adjustment for differing climatic conditions.

The compact form of the instrument, the absence of springs, the light weight of the moving parts and the character of support afforded them by the diaphragm, adapts the apparatus for portable and field use, as it operates equally well in any position.

The shape of the casing can, of course, be changed, a different form of flexible armature support can be substituted for the diaphragm and various other changes in details of construction can be made while still retaining other features of our invention.

Having, therefore, described our invention, we claim 1. In a telegraph relay the combination of an elastically mounted contact piece, an armature connected therewith, a stationary contact piece, and an electromagnet so located that the armature may approach the magnet pole pieces but cannot reach them because its further movement is checked by the meeting of the contact pieces.

2. In a telegraph relay the combination of a contact piece mounted on a flexible diaphragm, an armature connected therewith, a stationary contact piece, and an electromagnetso located that the armature may approach the magnet pole pieces but cannot reach them because its further movement is checked by the meeting of the contact pieces.

3. In a telegraph relay the combination of an elastically mounted contact piece, an armature connected therewith, a stationary contact piece, and an electromagnet so located that the armature may approach the magnet pole pieces but cannot reach them because its further movement is checked by the meeting of the contact pieces, the stationary contact piece being adjustable toward or away from the flexibly mounted contact piece.

a. In a telegraph relay the combination of an elastically mounted contact piece, an armature connected therewith, a stationary contact piece, and an electromagnet so located that the armature may approach the magnet pole pieces but cannot reach them because its further movement is checked by the meeting of the contact pieces, the magnets being adjustable toward and from the armature.

5. In a telegraph relay a frame and electromagnets carried thereby, a flexible diaphragm mounted on the frame but insulated therefrom, and an armature mounted on the diaphragm within the field of force of the magnet, together with a make and break contact device controlled by the movements of the diaphragm, one contact being in electrical connection with the frame and the other with the diaphragm, the two contacts being normally separated when the magnets are neutral, by a distance less than the elastic movement of the diaphragm.

6. In a telegraph relay the combination of an elastically mounted contact piece, an armature connected therewith, a stationary contact piece, and an electromagnet so located that the armature may approach the magnet pole pieces but cannot reach them because its further movement is checked by the meeting of the contact pieces, the magnets being adjustable toward and from the armature and a micrometer screw device for producing said adjustment of the magnet.

7. In a telegraph relay the combination of the armature, a thin, flexible diaphragm and a layer of non-magnetic material interposed between the diaphragm and armature supporting the latter from the former.

'8. In an electromagnetic relay the combination of the base plate and posts set therein, an electromagnet adjustably mounted on said base plate and having projections which engage said posts as guides, and an armature flexibly mounted on the outer ends of said posts.

9. In an electrical instrument the combination of the cylindrical casing closed at one end, a frame carrying the operative parts provided with a skeleton .base plate which screws into the open end of the casing, a threaded follower which screws into and closes said open end after the frame is inserted, and binding posts mounted in and extending through the casing, but insulated therefrom.

10. In an electrical instrument the combination of the cylindrical casing closed at one end, a frame carrying the operative parts provided with a skeleton base plate which screws into the open end of the casing, a threaded follower which screws into and closes said open end after the frame is inserted, and binding posts mounted in and extending through the casing, but insulated therefrom, said follower having a central opening and the frame having internal adjusting means extending out through said opening and forming a dust proof joint with the follower.

11. The combination of the inclosed casing the base plate mounted therein, a movable part mounted on said base plate by a micrometer screw connection which projects out through an opening in the casing, and means inserted between the base plate and the movable part after the micrometer screw connection has been assembled preventing the movable part from approaching the base plate closely enough to permit the micrometer parts to become disengaged.

12. In an electrical instrument the combination of the cylindrical casing closed at one end, a frame carrying the operative parts provided with a skeleton base plate which screws into the open end of the casing, and a threaded follower which screws into and closes said open end after the frame is inserted.

13. In an electrical instrument the combination of the cylindrical casing closed at one end, a frame carrying the operative parts provided with a skeleton base plate which screws into the open end of the casing, a threaded follower which screws into and closes said open end after the frame is in- Signed at New York N. Y., this 14th day sorted, and binding posts mounted in and of October, 1908. extending through the casing, but insulated DAVID IRWVIN GARRETSON. therefrom, said follower having a central MARCUS O. ANTHONY.

5 opening and the frame having internal adlVitnesses:

justing means extending out through said ROSWELL S. NIoHoLs,

opening. HENRY GORHAM, Jr. 

